Chafing-protector.



A. H. ALLEN.

GHAFING- PROTECTOR.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 11,1905.

917,515, Patented Apr. 6, 1909.

WITNESSES: INVENTQR 45% QMQMMM ATTORNEY n4: NORRIS PETERS C0,. wAsnmcroN. 1:.c.

lil l l ANNIE HUNTINGTON ALLEN, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

GHAFING-E'ROTE CTOR.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, ANNIE HUNTINGTON ALLEN, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Cincinnati, county of Ham-- ilton, and State of Ohio, have invented cer tain new and useful Improvements in Chafing-Protectors; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and eXact description thereof, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which the same pertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates generally to means for preventing chafing of the inner surfaces of the thighs, and relates particularly to a combined chafing preventer and stocking support-er, whereby not only is such chafing prevented or greatly ameliorated, but the stockings of the wearer are also supported in a much improved manner.

My invention comprises a guard or guards, adapted to be worn between the thighs, thereby preventing or reducing greatly chafing at this point, said guards provided with means for holding them in place which also preferably serve as stocking supporters.

Many women are much troubled, particularly in warm weather, with chafing of the inner surfaces of the thighs, due to the rubbing together of the thighs when walk- The objects of my invention are, first, to prevent or greatly ameliorate this chafing; second, to support the stockings in an improved manner while accomplishing the object first-named; and third, to make the device simple, inexpensive, easy to adjust and to put on or off, and comfortable to the wearer.

I will now proceed to describe my invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which one form of device embodying my invention is illustrated, and will then point out the novel features in claims.

In the said drawings Figure 1 shows a front view of one form of the device, the parts being arranged as if the device were in place upon a human figure, the outlines of which are indicated in dotted lines. Fig. 2 shows a central vertical section through the device on a plane at right angles to Fig. 1, the outlines of the human figure being indicated, as in the preceding view, in dotted lines.

In the said drawings, numerals 1, 1 designate two guards, or shields, for preventing chafing, arranged to be worn between the Specification of Letters latent.

Application filed July 11, 1905.

Patented April 6, 1909.

Serial No. 269,168.

thighs. Said shields should be composed of apron-like pieces of some light, thin, flexible material, such as rubber, oiled silk, silk, linen, or cotton cloth, or very thin and flexihis skin or animal membrane, and may be formed of any material having the necessary qualities. Obviously, a single such shield is in itself sufficient to prevent chafing, or at least to reduce or ameiioate it greatly; but when the device also serves as a garment supporter, and indeed in any case, it is preferable to employ two such shields together, as shown. These shields are held in place in any suitable manner,in the instance shown by P means of tapes 2 connecting them to a waist-- piece 3 which in the instance shown is a belt adapted to encircle the waist of the wearer, although such waist-piece may be arranged to be secured to the person of the wearer in any other suitable manner. As shown, I provide two such tapes 2 for each shield, one located, when the device is in use, in front of the abdomen and somewhat to one side of the median line, the other at the side and somewhat at the rear. By this arrangement of tapes, the upper portions of the shields are caused to lie closely to the wearers legs, in

' which position they will be substantially stationary at all times with respect to the thighs, causing no chafing themselves, but to the contrary receiving all of the rubbing, and so preventing chafing. It is desirable, however, that the lower edges of the guards 1 shall be drawn down, so as to prevent the guards from working up and wrinkling. To this end, I provide lower tapes 4 and 5, provided with means for attaching them to the garments of the wearer and by preference these tapes are attached to the stockings, in which case they serve not only to hold down the guards 1, but also to support the stockings. The outside tapes, 5, extend from the rear of the wearers legs, downward and around toward the side or front portion of the stocking. The inside tapes, 4, extend very nearly directly downward. This arrangement of the tapes permits very efficient supporting of the stock ing, without interference with the movements of the wearer, and without discomfort.

Pull upon the tapes 4 is transmitted diectly, through the guards 1, to the tapes 2,- and by reason of the fact that these tapes are each to one side of the median line, any pressure on the abdomen caused thereby tends to support the abdomen at the weakest points, viz., in the vicinity of Pouparts ligament, avoiding the tendency to rupture which pressure along the central or median line of the abdomen might produce. It wiil be seen, therefore, that my device constitutes, not only a preventer of chafing, but also a very eihcient stocking supporter.

It will be obvious that the device above described may be made in a variety of forms and with a variety of arrangements of tapes and the like, without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. The tapes 2, 4 and 5 maybe made either of elastic or of non-elastic material, as preferred, though I prefer to form them of elastic webbi do not limit myself to any particular manner of supporting the guards 1 and of holding them in place, or to any particular shape of said guards, or to any particular material or manner of construction thereof.

What I claim is 1. In a chafing protector, the combination with a waist piece, of a chafing guard coinprising an aprondike piece of thin flexible material suspended from said waist piece in front and rear and adapted to be worn between the thighs, and means connected to the lower portion of said guard for holding the same down.

2, In a chafingprotector, the combination witha waist piece, of two chafing guards each i the lower portions of said guards for holding the same down.

3. In a chafing protector, the combination with a waist piece, of one or more chafing guards comprising an apron-like piece of thin flexible material suspended from said waist piece in front and rear and adapted to be worn between the thighs, and provided near the bottom and a point which is on the inside of the leg when the device is in use, with means for holding the same down.

i. in a chafing protector, the combination with at waist piece, of one or more chafing guards comprising an aprondilze piece of thin flexible material suspended from said waist piece in front and rear and adapted to be worn between the thighs, and provided in front and in rear at points which are on the inside of the l g when the device is in use, with means for holding the same down.

in testimony whereof I at'hx my signature, in the presence of two witnesses,

ANNIL HUNTINGTON ALLEN. i Vitnesses JO N LAnRAMsoN, WALTER. 'W. @oNoK IN. 

